How to send text message with balloons

With iOS 10, Apple has added several effects to iMessage. If you want to send your messages with a burst of fireworks or partially hide them, you might want to check out all the new iMessage effects. These are not easy to find if you don't use iMessage regularly or if you don't keep up with what's new in latest iOS updates. Here's how to start using effects on iMessage.

How do I get effects on iMessage
First up, make sure you are running iOS 10, since this feature is not available in older versions of Apple's OS. When you download iOS 10, the Messages app gets updated and then you will be able to access these effects automatically. To check your version, and make sure you have the latest iOS update, do the following:

1. Launch Settings
2. Go to General > Software Update
3. This will show the version number and whether your software is up to date or not. If you're running an old version of iOS, tap Download and Install
4. If promoted, enter your passcode, and then tap on Agree for the next two popups.

How to send bubble effects such as invisible ink on iMessage
Bubble effects such as Loud, and Slam affect only the text of the message. They may increase or decrease the font size temporarily but they don't add effects to the background. Follow these steps to send bubble effects.

1. Open Messages on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - be sure the device is running iOS 10.
2. Type your message.
3. Tap and hold the blue up-arrow button that you use to send messages.
4. This will reveal a list of effects. Tap Bubble, which is at the top.
5. Now select the effect you want to use from the list. Slam adds a bit of exaggerated emphasis to the message. Loud increases the font size temporarily, while Gentle reduces it. Invisible Ink hides the message.
6. Tap the blue up-arrow button next to the effect to send the message.

How to send screen effects such as fireworks, balloons, lasers on iMessage
Screen effects add full-screen effects to your message. If you want to send messages with confetti appearing in the background or fireworks lighting up the screen, then follow these steps.

1. In the Messages app, type your message, and tap and hold the blue up-arrow button that you use to send messages.
2. Tap Screen at the top.
3. Now just swipe towards the left to scroll through effects. You can choose from Balloons, Confetti, Lasers, Fireworks, and Shooting Star.

The effect in the background gets sent, so when you've picked one, just tap the blue up-arrow button to send it.

The Confetti effect automatically triggers if you type "Congrats" and send it.

If you know any other shortcuts to send iMessage effects, let us know via the comments. For more tutorials, visit our How To section.

You can send various iMessage effects to your friends and family.

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Give your text and emoji-based messages a bit of life, by sending special effects to others in the iMessage conversation.

Sometimes, sending a message from your iPhone to others can seem a bit pedestrian. A line of text doesn't really elicit emotion unless it's a meaningful message, unless you count the use of emojis and copious use of capitalized letters and punctuation.

If you're eager to show that you're excited or that you love someone tremendously, you can do a lot better than sending plain old text. A FaceTime call certainly allows you to be more expressive, but you may not be in a situation where you can actually place it.

Handily, Apple has built-in a variety of effects that you can apply to your iMessage conversations with others, and you can take advantage of them whenever you want.

Make sure it's iMessage

Bear in mind that the effects will only really be visible to other participants in a Messages conversation if they are also using iOS. If they're on Android or using an older-style cellphone, the messages won't be seen at all.

The easiest way to tell is to simply check the color of speech bubbles in the conversation. If they are green, the conversation is over SMS or MMS. If they are blue, then it's an iMessage conversation, and you can go wild with effects.

While Android users cannot experience the animations, change is afoot regarding reactions. Google is slowly updating Google Messages to enable iMessage reaction support, bringing part of the iMessage experience to Android.

Though it's not the same thing as these effects and animations, it is at least a bit of cross-platform progress.

Bubble Effects

Bubble effects affect the speech bubble affecting the next message you send. There are a few effects available:

• Invisible Ink, which hides the message itself until the recipient swipes it to reveal the text.
• Gentle makes the text of the message really small within the bubble.
• Loud will temporarily enlarge and shake the bubble before returning it to normal size.
• Slam quickly slams the message bubble onto the thread, with added shaking.

The bubble effect interface is quite straightforward in iMessage.

How to send bubble effects in iMessage for iPhone

• Type a message or insert a photograph into the text box.
• Touch and hold the blue arrow until grey dots appear.
• Tap the grey dots next to the effect you want to use to preview it.
• Tap the blue arrow to send.

Full-screen Effects

As the name suggests, full-screen effects go one stage further, in that they display a larger animation on the recipient's screen.

How to send bubble effects in iMessage for iPhone

• Type a message or insert a photograph into the text box.
• Touch and hold the blue arrow until grey dots appear.
• Tap Screen at the top of the display.
• Swipe left and right to preview the different animations.
• Tap the blue arrow to send.

A few examples of full-screen animations you can select from in iMessage.

You have more full-screen effects to play with than the bubbles:

• Echo shows a swirling storm of the message you're about to send.
• Spotlight shines a circle of light on your message before disappearing.
• Balloons shows animated balloons floating away.
• Confetti triggers a paper shower from the top of the screen.
• Love grows a heart balloon from the message, which floats away.
• Lasers gives a brief light shown emitted from the message.
• Fireworks gives the message a firework display background.
• Celebration is similar to Fireworks, except it is from one corner of the display, and golden in color.

Some of these full-screen animations also trigger if you're using certain words or text strings.

• "Happy New Year" triggers Fireworks.
• "Congratulations" triggers Confetti.
• "Happy Birthday" triggers Balloons.

Handwriting

If you want to give a personal touch to the text itself, you could use the handwriting option within iMessage. This sends an animation of you writing out the message on the display.

This key can be used to hand-write your message.

How to send a handwritten message in iMessage for iPhone

• Hold the iPhone in landscape orientation.
• Tap the handwriting loop on the keyboard. It is usually on the bottom right of the screen.
• Start writing a message using your finger. If needed, scroll to the right to extend the writable area.
• Tap Done.
• Tap the blue Send arrow.

You don't have to use your own handwriting. Apple supplies examples you can use below the entry box.

If you have bad handwriting, you can also tap one of the premade phrases at the bottom of the entry screen. Messages you send will also be saved here for future reuse.

You can delete saved messages from the collection by touching and holding it, then when it is jiggling, tapping X.

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